The Ukrainian president was speaking alongside the Canadian, Italian and Belgian prime ministers and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen who came to Kyiv to mark the date.

Le Monde with AFP Published on February 24, 2024, at 4:34 pm (Paris)

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo attend a wreath-lying ceremony at the Memory Wall of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine in Kyiv, February 24, 2024. (HANDOUT / AFP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky promised victory against Russia on the second anniversary of the invasion on Saturday, February 24, as his troops fight on despite a lack of Western aid and recent Russian gains.

"We will win," he said at a ceremony at Kyiv's Gostomel airport, which was targeted by Russia in the first days of the all-out assault in 2022. He spoke alongside the Canadian, Italian and Belgian prime ministers and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen who came to Kyiv to mark the date. . .

Since then, however, Ukraine has suffered setbacks with the failure of its 2023 counteroffensive.
The Russian army has built up a position of strength by boosting its defense industry, while Ukraine's troops are short of manpower and running low on Western-supplied ammunition for artillery and air defenses.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged Ukraine and its allies not to "lose heart" and von der Leyen praised Ukraine's "extraordinary resistance" as she arrived in the Ukrainian capital. Ukraine's military chief Oleksandr Syrsky said he was confident of victory "because light always conquers darkness".

NOTE: The Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine represents one of the most touching testimonies regarding the conflict.

Started in 2014, when it was nothing more than a simple poster, it is constantly updated as the conflict continues, and collects thousands of photos and short biographies of the fallen.